Lightning struck a high-altitude grazing area in Ganderbal district, Jammu and Kashmir, killing nearly 90 sheep and goats belonging to a nomadic family during the intervening night of Sunday–Monday. The incident, reported on Monday, 11 May, has caused a severe financial blow to the affected family, whose entire livelihood depends on livestock rearing.

What Happened

The lightning strike occurred in the Dhana Dok area of Poshkar Kangan, a remote grazing belt in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district. Locals said the region experienced intense weather activity overnight, and dozens of animals were found dead in the pasture when morning came. According to officials and local accounts, preliminary findings suggest lightning struck the flock directly during the storm.

The livestock reportedly belonged to nomads identified as Mohammad Yaseen Bijran and Abdul Majeed Bijran, sons of Khan Mohammad Bijran, residents of the Sunderbani area of Rajouri district. Police and local authorities were informed and assessed the scale of the damage.

Who the Bakarwals Are

The affected family belongs to the Bakarwal community — nomadic goatherds who undertake seasonal migrations from the plains of Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, and Ramban districts each summer, travelling hundreds of miles on foot to alpine pastures across the Kashmir Valley. Families typically spend over four months in highland meadows with their livestock, household goods, and specially bred shepherd dogs that guard animals against predators such as leopards, bears, and jackals.

The government has extended several support measures for Bakarwal families, including mobile schools for children and periodic visits by veterinary doctors and nursing staff to the meadows.

A Recurring Risk in Alpine Pastures

Such incidents are not uncommon in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir during the summer migration season. Alpine pastures like Poshkar Kangan are exposed to sudden weather changes, thunderstorms, and lightning — hazards that intensify as nomadic families push deeper into highland terrain. This is the latest in a pattern of weather-related livestock losses that periodically devastate the Bakarwal community's seasonal income.

The loss of nearly 90 animals in a single night represents a catastrophic setback for the Bijran family, whose financial security is almost entirely tied to the size and health of their herd. As authorities complete their damage assessment, the incident has renewed attention on the vulnerability of nomadic communities to extreme weather events in the region's high-altitude zones.